Practically Classics Forum

What, in the collective opinion, is the best product for treating surface rust these days? Other than media blasting...
The last article I recall from Practical Classics recommended Dinitrol RC800 - is that stll a valid recommendation or are there now better options on the market??

Opinions/recommendations please folks!

Wire wheel, phosphoric acid. Be very careful with both, but highly effective.

P45.

As above, mechanical removal of rust is always best, I only use chemicals as a last resort and even then after using them you need to remove every trace of the treatment if you want the paint to bond properly to the metal afterwards. I use a wide variety of wire brushes of various shapes on a drill, grinding disks, sanders etc. - depends on the shape and characteristics of what you're trying to clean up really.

Plan is - as advised - to clean off the excess surface rust with a combination of wire wheels. and flap wheels to get down to as smooth a surface as possible then treat that surface so that anything remaining in the pitting is neutralised stopping me getting bubbles reforming any time soon after.
Obviously severe stuff has to be cut away and the mtatl replaced. But for areas like the ones below I am thinking that this process should work well:

2nd & 3rd pictures I'd be using fresh metal I think, once you get to grinding and brushing I think you'll find there's not much left.....

Agreed. Save time and get the slitting discs out.

P45.

Having spent 40 years restoring all types of classics (some of that time professionally) the best process / product process to date that I have for isolated rust removal is pretty much what has already been stated by fellow forum members - the flap wheel wins every time in my book - followed by a rotary wire brush - the final product I use is Bilt Hamber's Deox Gel (www.bilthamber.com) which is highly effective and inexpensive - in both the flap wheel & rotary wire brush cases I only ever use top quality products - buy the cheap stuff and you soon get brassed off with the poor results in the way that the flap wheel clogs & burns along with wire brush falling apart before the drill barely turns

Grumpy Northener wrote: in both the flap wheel & rotary wire brush cases I only ever use top quality products - buy the cheap stuff and you soon get brassed off with the poor results in the way that the flap wheel clogs & burns along with wire brush falling apart before the drill barely turns

I know what you mean, I'm having increasing trouble getting decent rotary wire brushes that last more than 5 minutes - so tell me, what brand to you recommend and where do you get them from?

Cheers!

Luxo - I use a company called Anvil: http://www.wire-brush.co.uk/ on line ordering etc and they do a complete range which is miles better than your usual rubbish found in the DIY / tool stores

Regards

Chris

Grumpy Northener wrote:Luxo - I use a company called Anvil: http://www.wire-brush.co.uk/ on line ordering etc and they do a complete range which is miles better than your usual rubbish found in the DIY / tool stores

Cheers Chris - brilliant! Looks like a good company, I've used those nylon filament brushes before but my last one is nearly worn out and I didn't know where to get more, so they've just got another customer!

Good stuff - thanks again.

Note to others - if you're in the business of cleaning up rusty metal, do have a look at that link, that's what I mean by "wire brushes in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the shape of the area to be cleaned" - if they don't do a brush in the right shape or size then there probably isn't one!

Cheers all